


Ways to say "I love you"

by Tovarich



Series: Good Omens Celebration 2020 [21]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale is "just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing" (Good Omens), Crowley Has Long Hair (Good Omens), Ducks, Fluff, Good Omens Celebration 2020, Hair Braiding, Language of Flowers, M/M, Queerplatonic Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:15:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24919678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tovarich/pseuds/Tovarich
Summary: Aziraphale laughs at Crowley while the demon is fighting a duck. He offers to braid his hair to make it up to him.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Good Omens Celebration 2020 [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727137
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34
Collections: Good Omens Celebration





	Ways to say "I love you"

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt for day 21 of the Good Omens Celebration was "Garden".  
> When I started this, I thought I'd be able to post a fic every day, turns out I'm not able to do that. But I'm still having fun writing those. Hopefully you'll enjoying reading this silly little fic!

Crowley was lounging in the garden of the cottage he now shared with Aziraphale. It was a beautiful day, perfect to lie in the soft grass, under the clear blue sky with a gentle breeze caressing his skin. Crowley was happy, happier than he had thought possible for a being who had already lived so long. He had thought that only humans, with their short lifespans, were able to feel emotions so intensely. But everyday with Aziraphale proved him wrong. When he saw his angel exit the house to join him in the garden, he felt a burst of adoration so strong he thought his heart would explode from it. Aziraphale sat down beside him, handing him a glass of home-made iced tea. Between them, he placed a plate of freshly baked cinnamon biscuits.

Things used to be so complicated between them, their relationship used to be conflictual. Not that they didn't love each other, but they weren't able to live that love fully, and it nearly destroyed them. Pushing each other away to keep one another safe had been hard and hurtful. It had taken them time to learn how to be together without constantly looking over their shoulders for potential threats. It had taken them time to open up and learn to communicate, to get closer instead of keeping each other at arm's length. It had taken time and a lot of work, but they had got there in the end. And now it was so easy to be together, to simply exist in the same space. Now they could talk, really talk when something wasn't alright. And they could laugh and smile freely when they felt happy. They didn't need to keep their feelings bottled up, hidden in the safety of their own hearts, and it made everything brighter and so much better. It made being together easier too.

"You look happy," Aziraphale whispered, taking a sip from his own glass.

Crowley smiled up at Aziraphale, "That would be because I am."

Aziraphale bent, placing a kiss to Crowley's forehead. Kissing Crowley had become one of Aziraphale's favourite things in the world; it didn't matter what kind of kiss it was, whether it was a comforting kiss on the cheek, a platonic kiss on the forehead, a peck on the lips or a heated kiss that had their tongues fighting for dominance in their joined mouths. It didn't matter, for Aziraphale it was all lovely and absolutely delightful and he knew Crowley felt the same.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, Aziraphale reading a book while Crowley simply basked in the sun, eyes closed behind his sunglasses. Suddenly, however, a bird came and disturbed the moment of peace. Crowley was already closely acquainted to the enemy, though. He had already fought it before. The duck quacked mockingly at the ethereal and occult beings unsuspectingly sprawled beneath the branches of a tree as it approached. Quick as thunder, it stole the last biscuit on the plate before running away, holding its price firmly in its beak.

"Oi!" Crowley shouted, getting up, "you vicious creature, come back here!" He started running after the offending bird.

Aziraphale followed the scene with rapt attention. There was a sort of fascination in seeing Crowley yelling and running after a duck. He probably found it more entertaining than he should. Despite not being very well acquainted with new technologies, Aziraphale knew he couldn't miss the opportunity to film this confrontation. He took his new phone, that Crowley had offered him, out of his pocket with a playful grin.

Crowley tried to catch the duck as it ran around the tree, but the duck outwitted him and started running the other way, forcing Crowley to change direction quickly. Too quickly apparently, because Crowley stumbled on his own feet and fell face first on the ground. The duck cackled in victory, running past the demon.

"I knew ducks were one of our ideas, there's no other way," Crowley mumbled as he got up. "I'll catch you and make roast duck out of you!" he yelled, resuming his pursuit of the bird.

Crowley kept running around the garden, trying to catch the duck or make it fly away in fear of what terrible fate awaiting it. He was vaguely aware of the burst of laughter coming from his angel still sitting on the grass, and if he was honest, it was one of the reasons why he continued this ridiculous display. He loved hearing Aziraphale laugh, and Aziraphale found it endearing when Crowley did stupid things. After some time, however, it seems both the demon and the duck got tired of this little game and the duck flew away.

"That's it, go back to the pond you came from and never come back!"

Crowley turned around to find Aziraphale, phone in hand, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle the sounds of his laughter.

"Oh, what a mighty warrior you are, fighting that dangerous beast, going so far as to make it run away in fright!" Aziraphale smirked, unable to contain the giggles that erupted from his mouth.

Crowley scuffed as he noticed that Aziraphale had filmed his battle with the duck. "You're a bastard, you know. I try to protect you from this wild animal, and this is how you thank me!" Crowley pouted, turning his back to Aziraphale so as to hide the grin that threatened to spread on his lips.

Aziraphale laughed, circling his arms around Crowley's waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. He loved this beautiful creature so much. Of course, as an angel he was made of love, but this was different from any form of love angels up there in Heaven were meant to feel. It wasn't universal love for the whole of creation; it was a powerful affection for one being in particular. However, Aziraphale didn't feel comfortable labelling it as the equivalent of the human romantic love. It didn't feel right, it was something entirely different, but just as powerful. Crowley was his lover, his best friend, the one person who had always been by his side for millennia.

"You shouldn't have taught me how to use Instagram, darling," Aziraphale said with a mischievous glint in his grey-blue eyes.

"Ngh," Crowley grunted, "I knew I should have known better than to place such a dangerous weapon into your hands."

"I could make it up to you, my dear."

"You have anything in mind?" Crowley raised one eyebrow questioningly.

Aziraphale smiled, that bright smile that made Crowley's heart flutter in his chest. The angel had so much power over him and he didn't even seem to know it. Crowley was weak around him, he would do anything to make Aziraphale happy, to see that smile and hear those joyful giggles.

"I thought, maybe I could braid your hair, now that it's so long. I always regretted not getting the chance to do it back when you used to wear it long."

Crowley's hair now reached his waist, heavy curls cascading down his back. He loved his hair like that, but he had to admit it required a lot of work to keep it looking nice. Part of the reason he had let it get so long again was that Aziraphale had mentioned loving it back then, near the Beginning. And Crowley loved having his hair brushed and braided, especially by Aziraphale's deft fingers.

"I'd love to, angel," he said, sitting down with his back facing Aziraphale's front.

With a quick miracle, a hairbrush appeared in the angel's hand and he began untangling the knots in Crowley's coppery curls. He did it delicately, mindful not to hurt the demon. Crowley always said Aziraphale's hair glowed like a halo when the sun hit it just right, but Aziraphale realised he had never told Crowley how lovely the colour of his hair was.

"My darling demon, your hair is wonderful," Aziraphale said, brushing his fingers between the strands of red hair, "it shines with the most comforting warmth, like a soothing fire. Nothing like Hellfire, though. It's such a soft shade."

Crowley blushed. He still found it difficult to accept compliments sometimes, but he did his best. After telling himself he didn't deserve anything nice or good for most of his life, it wasn't easy to just go with it. Therefore, despite Aziraphale's best efforts to show how much he adored Crowley, telling him how good and beautiful he was, it was often met with some resistance.

"Ngk, you're the beautiful one, angel," Crowley said, hiding his face in his palms because the sunglasses didn't feel enough to conceal his expression.

"Shhh," Aziraphale soothed as his fingers started twisting strands of hair together in an elaborated braid, "you're beautiful. You are, my dear. I mean it, I always mean it. I know it's complicated for you to accept it, but you're the most beautiful being in the whole of Creation. In my eyes, you're the most gorgeous person I've ever laid eyes on," Aziraphale continued in a whisper as light as the breeze the brushed their skins. "Don't worry my love, I don't expect an answer from you. I just need you to know how I feel bout you, how much I love you."

Crowley sat in silence, enjoying the sensations. He loved the light pull on his scalp, the quiet affection radiating from Aziraphale's fingertips. It was reassuring and weirdly intimate. And Crowley loved knowing his angel enjoyed taking care of him this way. It made his heart beat in joy, this silent proximity where nothing needed to be said, where no grand gesture had to be done. It was amazing in its simplicity, yet it held so much meaning. It was a way to say "I love you" without using any words, and Crowley knew it.

"I'm done, do you want to take a look?" Aziraphale asked.

Crowley nodded, miracling a small mirror in his hand. He gasped when he saw the flower Aziraphale had placed in his hair, a red carnation for deep love and affection. There it was again, that feeling in Crowley's chest, as if it was too tight to contain all his love for the angel. He would never get used to all the small ways Aziraphale found to express affection. Honestly, he didn't want to get used to it, either. He wanted to continue being surprised every time for centuries and centuries. His hand covered his mouth as single tear found its way down his cheek. Aziraphale frowned, suddenly worried he had done something wrong.

"Crowley, are you alright?" he asked, gently touching his best friend's shoulder.

Crowley nodded, turning around to embrace Aziraphale in a tight hug. "Thank you, angel, this is perfect," he said, smiling against Aziraphale's shoulder. "I love you so much."

They were happy, in that moment. It was a nice day to be happy together, under the warm sun, in their own garden of Eden. Here they were allowed to be together, to love each other with abandon. And they gave each other proof of that undying love every occasion they got. Maybe they were attempting to make up for the lost time, maybe they were simply too full of a love they had to keep hidden for centuries. It didn't matter, though, because they radiated love so strongly that the whole village could sense it and bask in it, too. 


End file.
